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Ludwig Hermann Tobias
Ludwig Hermann Tobias was a Uranian politician and former air ace who served as Minister of the Interior during the entirety of Matau Henries' dictatorship from 0 ANE to 10 ANE. During this time he was in effect Henries' right-hand-man, apparent successor and the second most powerful man in the country. However, the rise of Tomas Henries in the power struggle following Matau's death resulted in him losing his position and fleeing to Russianiaq in order to avoid capture. He was executed by the allies after the war for his various war crimes and crimes against humanity. He had served with distinction during the Rilgorian War as a fighter pilot, credited with 26 kills during the conflict. Upon his discharge he joined Grosse in his hometown of Beltondod, immediately coming into contact with Matau Henries whom he quickly developed a close and life-long friendship. When Henries seized control of the movement in 3 BNE, Tobias became its deputy-leader, and subsequently played a key role in helping to secure the power-base among the domestically-located law enforcement that enabled Grosse to seize power in the coup of the night of 30 August - 1 October 0 ANE. Tobias was considered good-looking, charming, intelligent and fiercely loyal to Henries, which, along with his background as a war hero, placed him in good stead with the country's elite. Tobias' position as Minister of the Interior made him de-facto the deputy-leader of the country, as Henries had merged the offices of President and Premier into a single office for himself. While Henries was the head of state and government, it was Tobias who had the direct control of the police, paramilitaries as well as in practice having command over the army and secret police; this was combined with his having almost complete control over all aspects of domestic policy and administration. Throughout his decades-long reign he was unquestionably loyal to Henries, using his power to brutally purge anyone he felt would be a threat to his leader. Tobias' major rivalry with Matau's brother Tomas came after the latter was appointed to the position of Minister of State Administration and Public Affairs, a junior ministry nominally under the jurisdiction of Tobias' Ministry of the Interior. However Tomas's shrewdness in hording up power regarding domestic policy threatened Tobias, who tried to have him removed from his position; however Tomas's family connection protected him as he build his own collection of close allies, who followed him when Tomas was appointed chief of the Secret Police in 7 ANE. Tomas continued to hoard increasing amounts of power in this position, seriously threatening Tobias' influence in government. Thus, when Matau was killed suddenly in 10 ANE, he no longer had the power base to automatically assume the leadership. The brief political struggle lasted barely a week, the result of which was Tomas using his influence in the army and the secret police to oust Tobias from his position. Tobias's allies were rounded up and executed, while Tobias himself managed to escape via Kerwan. In Kerwan - at the time a neutral country - he was arrested and placed under guard by a government who did not really know what to do with him. Russianiaq demanded his immediate extradition, which was delayed for over 18 months while Tobias exhausted his appeals in a legal battle that became a media sensation. Eventually, in July 12 ANE he was extradited to Russianiaq specifically as a war criminal, rather than a prisoner of war. This was used as one of the excuses for the Uranian invasion of Kerwan a month later (which in reality had been in planning for over a year). Held prisoner in Russianiaq until the end of the war, he was transferred to Jansey where he was the main defendant in the subsequent war crimes trials. Indicted for war crimes, crimes against peace and crimes against humanity and found guilty on all charges, he was hanged at Novalis Gaol on 13 April 18 ANE, aged 55.